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[Elijah]

Hey guys,
I'm struggling deciding where to put points in the science section. I'm not really sure which are good mods, and which are not.

Any suggestion, help?

[Megas]

Augmented Engines and Integrated Targeting Unit are must-haves.  Resistant Flux Conduits is useful if you vent-spam flux-hungry weapons like Heavy Blaster.  If you like to use missiles other than one-shots, then Expanded Missile Racks is very useful.  Advanced Physics has some useful skills.

[Dri]

I think this depends on if you play Ironman Mode or not.

When playing Ironman I always try to have Blast Doors, Insulated Engines, Armored Weapon Mounts, Extended Shields and max vents. You or your AI ships are going to get shot-up time to time so having some defensive boosts is a good idea when you can't simply reload when it happens.

[Cycerin]

Integrated Targeting Unit is the best hullmod in the game.

Resistant Flux Conduits is my personal favorite hullmod. Great on all player piloted ships without Safety Override, lets you tank a Salamander here and there without your day being ruined, and steals the Thunder's thunder.

Consider Reinforced Bulkheads on ships with a Damage Control officer.

Other powerhouse hullmods are Hardened Shields, Stabilized Shields, and Heavy Armor, but they are situational and require you to make a good variant.

Oh and outside of Technology the hullmods in Missile Specialization are great, as Megas pointed out.

[Megas]

Another useful hullmod, if you can fit it, is Automated Repair Unit.  In combat, if stuff gets knocked-out, it comes back online reasonably fast.  If combined with Damage Control 10 perk, stuff repairs so fast that the ship is effectively immune to EMP or anything that shuts down engines or weapons.  The out-of-combat benefits are also nice if you need to fight more than once before reaching a station.  It is powerful, but not top priority.

[Sordid]

I absolutely love Front Shield Emitter and Extended Shields. The AI is great at maneuvering its ship, aiming its weapons, and aiming its shield all independently of each other, but as a human being it is simply physically impossible for me to do those three things all at the same time. Taking shield management out of the equation is an absolute must for me to make the game playable.

[SpacePoliticianAndaZealot]

Can somebody clear something up for me?  Is there ever a reason to take Dedicated Targeting Core over ITU?  ITU seems to provide the exact same range boost for less cost.

The only reason to install DTC is uf you are hurting for range and don't have Technology specced. Otherwise a trap option.

[TaLaR]

My personal favorite is Unstable Injector - available right from start and good on everything (unless you use Augmented Engines instead). But AE isn't a straight upgrade anyway - it gives slightly more speed and +1 burn, but it doesn't give extra +100% acceleration and has sensor penalties. As long as particular ship is not among slowest in your fleet UI vs AE is not an automatic decision. (But having one of them is, speed is always good)

And AI is competent enough to usually avoid hits to engine, so 4x engine damage isn't as big disadvantage as it might seem.

[Megas]

Dedicated Targeting Core is what you use if you do not have Integrated Targeting Unit.  ITU is very useful for small ships, and saving OP for big ships.

[TheDTYP]

I used to LOVE Augmented Engines but it's been nerfed so I don't use them as much

Integrated Targeting Unit on the other hand is magical and should be worshipped.

[Megas]

How has Augmented Engines been nerfed?  +1 instead of +2 burn?  The cargo penalties are gone.  Unless top speed bonuses have changed (I have not looked lately), Augmented Engines is powerful as ever, as in very.  Its only meaningful drawback late in the game is the profile penalty.  (Given how lucrative black market trade can be, you do want to sneak into hostile markets when you can.)

[TJJ]

How has Augmented Engines been nerfed?  +1 instead of +2 burn?  The cargo penalties are gone.  Unless top speed bonuses have changed (I have not looked lately), Augmented Engines is powerful as ever, as in very.  Its only meaningful drawback late in the game is the profile penalty.  (Given how lucrative black market trade can be, you do want to sneak into hostile markets when you can.)

I thought it impacted sensor range too?

IMO that's a much bigger disadvantage if you're installing it on all of your ships so you can zip around at burn 11.
(Though admittedly it's not such an issue if you're boosting 1 or 2 ships to keep up with the rest)

[Megas]

@ TJJ: It does too, and it may be a problem if you get Augmented Engines early enough.  By late-game, everything that can threaten you either has their transponder on (and can be seen a mile away) or are bounties that stick to their home planet.  I dislike the sensor penalty because ships are blind enough without the penalty.

However, if I progressed far enough to get Augmented Engines, I am usually powerful enough to kill most threats.  Being blind feels more like an interface screw than a meaningful drawback.  Profile penalty is a meaningful drawback because black market trade is very useful, especially once most factions hate you.

[Thaago]

Hey guys,
I'm struggling deciding where to put points in the science section. I'm not really sure which are good mods, and which are not.

Any suggestion, help?

Make sure to take the +%OP skills as well! Those are the real "must have" of the tech branch. Other than that the previous suggestions are all good! I prefer heavy armor over augmented engines myself.

[Megas]

True, and best hullmods are in those skills too.  Computer Systems and Mechanical Engineer not only have ITU and Augmented Engines, but also +OP%!